Tooth-brush holder and sterilizer.



A. FEINBERG.

TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER AND STERILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY25, 1916.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917'.

ARTHUR FEINIBERG, 'OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOOTH-BRUSH HOLDER AND STERILIZEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. id, ifiil't.

Application filed July 25, 1916. Serial No. 111,120.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR FEINBERG, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, boroughof Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Tooth- Brush Holders and Sterilizers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention is a tooth-brush holder and sterilizer, and the object ofthe invention is to provide a device adapted to house a toothbrush whennot in use to keep it clean, and, at the same time, to sterilize thesame, so that between each successive use of the brush, the brush isthoroughly sterilized, and danger of infection is obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will be compact in form and can be readily carried aboutin a handbag or grip when traveling, and may be expeditiously operatedto release the brush to allow of its use, and as expeditiouslyreassembled to rehouse the brush in sterilizing position.

A salient figure of the invention resides in the fact that a chamber,cotiperating with the chamber which houses the brush, is provided forthe reception of the sterilizing agent, means being provided to precludethe water deposited from the brush after use from coming into contactwith the sterilizing agent, and means being also provided for precludingthe sterilizing agent from coming into direct contact with the brush.Moreover, in the preferred form of the invention, valvular means ispositioned be tween the chamber which contains the sterilizing materialand the chamber in which the brush is positioned so that when the latterchamber is opened to withdraw the brush, the valve between said chambersis closed, and vice versa to preclude useless wasteful evaporation ofthe sterilizing agent, yet to allow it to thoroughly sterilize the brushcontaining chamber when the parts are assembled with the brushpositioned therein.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

In the accompanying. drawings, I have illustrated different practicalembodiments of the present invention, but the constrgctions showntherein are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as definingthe limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the preferred form ofbrush-holder and sterilizer of the present invention. Fig. 2 is asection taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation ofa coupling member, which I prefer to employ, the coupling member of thisfigure being shown as detached from the main parts of the device. Fig. 4is an annular plan view of the device, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is acentral longitudinal section through a modified form of the invention,illustrating a combined sterilizer and holder, adapted for the receptionof a plurality of brushes, and Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates an elongated tubular sleeve whichis closed at its lower end, except for a small outlet hole a: with whichis adapted to cooperate a smaller hole a formed in a rotatable cap A.

from. Cap A is normally in such position v as to bring the apertureaxout of register with aperture a so as to seal the base of the sleevein a substantially air tight'manner.

Sleeve A is of a length adapted to readily receive a tooth-brush B, andto house said brush in the manner shown in Fig. 1, wherein the bristleend of the brush is at the lower portion of the casing, or in aninverted manner, as may be desired. It is well-known that after use, thebristles of the brush contain more or less moisture which, if the brushis immediately placed in sleeve A, will be deposited interiorly of thesleeve. To preclude this fluid from flowing past the upper end of thesleeve A when said sleeve is inverted or laid in a horizontal position,a frusto-conical bafile plate a is formed in the upper portion ofsleeveA and converges downwardly. Thus, even though the sleeve isinverted, this bafiie plate will preclude the liquid contents of thesleeve A from passing out of the top of the sleeve, and the only way inwhich said liquid content may be withdrawn is by manipulating therotatable plate A in the manner described to allow said liquid to fiowthrough the apertures a; a.

The upper or open end of the sleeve A is normally closed by a disk 0which, in the preferred form of the invention, is in the form of acentral partitionpositioned within an annular ring C, as clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 3. The interior face of the annular ring C, below thepartition 0 is threaded and the exterior face of the upper portion ofsleeve A is complem'entarily threaded so that said sleeve may be screwedinto the threaded portion of ring C, the partition 0 of which serves, ineffect, as a cover of the sleeve A.

Within the portion of ring C, above the partition 0, is adapted to beseated a thimble-like container D which is secured for rotation withinsaid ring by means of a centrally disposed rivet (.Z passing through thebase of the-thimble and through the partition 0. Rivet d holds the partstightly together but allows of relative rotation for the purpose ofbringing an aperture 0? in the base of the thimble into and out ofalinement with a similar aperture 0' formed in the partition 0. Whenthese apertures are in alinement, communication will be opened betweenthe interior of the sleeve A and the interior of the thimble D, whereas,when the parts are rotated to bring said apertures out of alinement,such communication will be precluded. Ring C and its partition 0 thusserves as a coupling member for detachably securing thimble-likecontainer D to the sleeve A.

Positioned within thimble D are a plurality of projections d on which isadapted to seat a container E for the sterilizing agent. As shown, thecontainer E is preferably entirely closed, except at its bottom 7, whichis of upwardly tapering frusto-conical form, and in which is provided anopening 7, serving as an outlet for the fumes or vapor from thesterilizing agent adapted to be contained within the interior ofcontainer E, and preferably within absorbent-cotton or other wickmaterial f which is saturated with the sterilizing or antiseptic agent.The top of the thimble D is closed by a suitable cover D.

lhe particular form of sterilizing container E is such that the devicemay be placed in horizontal or even inverted posi' tion without spillingthesterilizing' agent through the opening 7. However, to absolutelypreclude such sterilizing agent from passing through the openings a? cand coming into contact with the brush B, an upwardly convergingfrusto-conical bafile plate 9 is preferably positioned between the baseof the thimble D and the projection 01 of the aperture 0' inregistration with the apertured, and the upper end of the sleeve screwedinto the coupling a, that the fumes from the disinfecting, antiseptic orsterilizing agent contained within the wick i will be free to circulatethrough said alined apertures and downwardly into the chamber of thesleeve A in which the brush B is contained, thereby thoroughlysterilizing said brush. The positions of the parts shown in Fig. 1 arethose which are normally occupied, i. e., Fig. 1 shows the assembledelements of the construction in the positions which they partake whenthe brush is not in use. With this relation of the parts, the brush maybe packed in a suit case or grip for traveling purposes, or may be laidin a bureau drawer. In either case, irrespective of the position whichthe device may occupy, the frusto-conical bottom f of the sterilizingchamber E, and the bafiie plate 9, preclude the passage of thesterilizing agent into the chamber occupied by the brush while thefrusto-conical bafiie plate a on the other hand, precludes the passageof water, deposited by the brush within the tubular sleeve A, fromflowing into the interior of the thimble D when the device is inhorizontal or inverted position.

l have found that a very elficient construction results if the couplingmember and thimble are so associated that the operation of screwing thesleeve A into its closed posi: tlon, or unscrewing it for the removal ofthe brush, automatically closes or opens the valve formed by theapertures 01 c. As hereinbefore stated, the thimble D is rotatablymounted onto the coupling by the.

rivet (l, and its relative rotation between the parts about the axis ofsaid rivet with the opening and closing of the valve results.Accordingly, a circumferential slot it is formed in the wall of theupper portion of the wall C, and into this slotextends a in or otherprojection h fixed on the outer ace of thimble D, as clearly shown inFigs. 1', it and 3. The positions of said pin and slot are such that,when the pin is rotated to one end of the slot, the apertures d a willbe in registration, but, when. the pin is rotated to the'other end ofthe slot, the said aper--' tures will be out of registration. It willthus be manifest that if the thimble D is gripped in one hand, while thesleeve A is unscrewed from the coupling C by the other hand, that saidunscrewing operation will serve to rotate the coupling member until thepin it goes to the end of the slot b, thereby bringing the apertures d 0out of alinement. A continued rotation of the sleeve A will cause saidsleeve to be unscrewed from the coupling to allow of the removal of thetoothbrush. Thus, the operation of detaching the sleeve A for theremoval of the brush, automatically closes the valve at the base of thethimble D and precludes evaporation or wasteful dispensation of thedisinfecting or sterilizing agent.

It will be apparent, moreover, that after the brush is used, depositedwithin the sleeve A and said sleeve again screwed into the coupling C,the valvular operations described will be reversed, the pin h moving tothe other end of the slot, leaving the valve in an open condition untilthe sleeve is unscrewed to allow of the subsequent use of the brush. I

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings I have illustrated a slightly modifiedform of the invention, wherein, in contra-distinction to the structureof Fig. 1, two chambers I I are provided for the reception of differenttooth-brushes. An antiseptic container E is inserted through a door iinto a chamber 17, beneath the chamber I and the sterilizing orantiseptic fumes circulate into chamber I through an opening 2 and fromchamber 1 into chamber I through an openin i Openings 2' 2' are providedwith b.%le plates j which preclude the passage of liquid, deposited byone of said brushes, into the chamber in which the other brush islocated, as well as into the chamber 2" in which the antiseptic orsterilizing agent is contained. Moreover bafile plate 7' pre eludes anyleakage of the sterilizing agent from entering the chamber I. Chambers II are provided with suitable covers i It will be apparent from theforegoing description that a structure is provided wherein a tooth-brushmay be housed in a substantially air-tight compartment which isautomatically placed in communication with a sterilizing chamber, whenthe parts are assembled, whereas, the sterilizing chamber isautomatically sealed when the parts are dismantled to allow of theremoving of the brush, this being true particularly in the preferredconstruction. In either the preferred or modified forms the constructionis simple, compact and may be readily manipulated in the carrying out ofits functions, it is highly sanitary, and the tooth-brush is thoroughlysterilized between the successive uses thereof. The structure is such asto preclude the disinfecting, antiseptic or sterilizing agent fromcoming into contact with the brush, which would be apt to produce adisagreeable taste in the operation of brushing the teeth. Moreover,water dripping from the brush after use cannot come into contact withthe sterilizing agent.

It will, of course, be manifest that because of the movable cover d ofthe preferred embodiment of Fig. l, and the pivoted door 1' of themodified form of Figs. 5 and 6. the sterilizer containing chambers E Emay be readily removed from the device to allow the replenishing of thesterilizing agent, or to further allow of 'the cleansing of the partsassociated therewith.

It will be obvious that the specific structure described may be modifiedwithin reasonable limits without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and that the device may be used for other purposes analogousto those described.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a brushcontaining casing, a casing for containing a sterilizing agent, arotatable coupling between said two casings for detachably securing themtogether, and valvular means coiiperating with the coupling andautomatically operable to open communication between the interiors ofsaid casings when the casings are in assembled relation, but to shut offsuch communication when the casings are separated.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a brushcontaining casing, a casing for containing a sterilizing agent, acoupling rotatably secured to the sterilizer casing and provided with athreaded female portion adapted to receive the threaded portion of thebrush containing casing, said coupling being adapted for rotation whenthe brush containing casing is screwed into engagement with or out ofengagement of the threaded portion of the coupling, said coupling andsterilizer casing being provided with complementary apertures adapted tobe brought into and out of alinement automatically by the attaching anddetaching operations of the brush containing casing.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of two chambers,one of which houses a brush and the other of which contains adisinfectant, means for detachably assembling said chambers, andvalvular means operable, upon the removal of the brush chamber from thedisinfectant chamher, to seal the disinfectant chamber and, by theassembling operation, to unseal said chamber and allow the fumes of thedisinfectant to enter the other chamber.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of two relativelymovable chambers, one of which contains a disinfectant and the other abrush, means for securing the chambers in juxta osition, means forsealing the brush cham er; and means for governing the passage ofdisinfecting fumes from the disinfectant chamber into the brush chamber,said governing means beingcontrollable by relative movementbetween thechambers, toseal or unseal the chamber containing the disinfectant;

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of two chambers, one of which contains a disinfectant andthe other a brush, means for sealing the brush chamber,

means forggovepni g the passage of fdisinfecting fumes from thedisinfectant chain ber into the brush chamber," and means independent ofthe means for governingthe passage of disinfecting fumes" from thedisin- 'fecta'nt chamber intothebrushchamber, for precluding thedisinfectan't'from entering thebrush chamber.

6Q In a device of the class described, the combination of two chambers",one of which contains a disinfectant and I the other a brush, means forsealing the brush chamber, means for governing the passage ofdisinfecting fumes from the disinfectant chamber into the brush chamber,and means independent of the means" for governing the passage ofdisinfecting fumes from the disinfectant chamber into the brush chamber,for precluding water, deposited by the brush within its chamber, from,entering the disinfectant chambe n' 7. In a: device of the classdescribed, the combinationof two chambers, one'of which contains adisinfectant and the other a brush, means for sealing the brush chamber,

means for governing the passage of disin-' fecting fumes from thedisinfectant chamher into the brush chamber, means, independent of themeans for governing the passage of disinfecting fumes from thedisinfectant chamber into the brush chamber,

for precluding the disinfectant from entering the brush chamber," andmeans for precluding water, deposited by the brush within its chamber,from entering the disinfectant chamber.

8. In a device of the class described, the

- combination of two chambers, one of which contains a disinfectant andthe other a brush, means for sealing thebrush chamber,

9. In a device of the'class described, the

combination of a receptacle for a tooth brush, a disinfectant containingchamber cooperating therewith, and a frusto-conical' flange on the innerwalls of the disinfectant chambenwhich flange converges toward the vdisinfectant containing" portion of' said chamber for precluding thedisinfectant from comin into contact with the brush, 7 10. In a evi'ce'of the class described, the

combination of a receptacle fora toothbrush, a disinfectant containingchamber cooperating therewith, means-positioned with in said chamber forprecluding the disinfectant from coming into contact with the brush, andindependent. and additional means positioned within the brush containingreceptacle forprecluding water, deposited by the brush within itsreceptacle, from coming into contact with the disinfectant.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of' a receptaclefor a toothbrush, a disinfectant containing chamber cooperatingtherewith, a frusto-conical flange on the inner walls of thedisinfectant cham her and converging toward the disinfectant containingportion of said chamber for precluding the disinfectant from coming intocontact with the brush, and a second frustoconical flange, positioned onthe inner walls of the brush receptacle and converging in the oppositedirection from the flange in said chamber, for precluding water,deposited by the brush within its receptacle, from coming into contactwith the disinfectant.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR FEINBERG.

